11/20/2007 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 11/20/2007 Resolution No. 2007-121 introduced by Mayor O'Grady was given its third reading. A resolution authorizing the Mayor, on behalf of the City of North Olmsted, to enter into a contract with the West Life Publishing Co. for the purpose of publishing a North Olmsted Magazine for the 2008 calendar year. Councilman Tallon moved for adoption. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ryan and passed unanimously. Resolution No. 2007-121 adopted. Ordinance No. 2007-123 introduced by Mayor O'Grady was given its third reading. An ordinance amending Section 915.04 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of North Olmsted to establish revised charges for the use of the municipal sanitary sewer system; repealing existing Section 915.04 of the Codified Ordinances; and declaring an emergency, as amended. Councilman Tallon moved for adoption, and the motion was seconded by Councilman Gareau. Roll call: Tallon, yes, with comment. "As we know, this is a huge increase in our sewer rates for the next four years. Nobody up here wants to increase your sewer rates, but we know that this work has to be done. The funding process, this is the only funding process we have available at this point in time. I think it will produce enough of the revenue needed to do that. It's going to be incumbent upon future Councils and future Councilmen to keep on top of this to make sure that this project and these monies are placed in their proper place to the job that we're hoping this will do, and that's to basically please the EPA, to get rid of our odor problem once and for all, and expand the expansion of the plant-modernize the plant, I should say-and to help our employees to stay employed. With all those things in mind, again, am I happy to do this? No, but my vote is yes." Roll call continued: Gareau, yes; Miller, "This has been a very difficult one for me in light of the fact I was on Council when Council was sold on the concept that the last large of amount we put into improvements at the sewer treatment plant would both address EPA issues and alleviate odors. In fact, it was published in the annual CAFR that we had alleviated odors as a result of large expenses we had put in. Anybody who has driven by the sewer treatment plant as far away as 480 can tell that has not happened. I also personally feel that at times funds from the sewer treatment plant were used to offset payroll expenses for Service Dept. employees. That could be argued either way. I feel that in some cases it's been misused. So, it was very difficult to come to a decision on this. However, the city clearly has an obligation to ~~~cet ever increasing demands from the EPA. They are continuing to tighten their restrictions. We have cut, I think, everything we can that might be considered and referred to earlier as `fat' at the sewer treatment plant. I'm not comfortable with the administrative fee. I think that borders on using the sewer treatment plant to offset other expenses within the city. I think, if you put money into the sewer treatment plant and that's what it's there for, it shouldn't be going into other services outside of that. But, in order to continue our operations at the sewer treatment plant, I think it's important that this go forward. So, my vote is yes." Roll call continued: Barker, yes, with comment. "As Mr. Tallon has said and Mr. Miller has said, voting for a rate increase is a very difficult thing to do. But I was encouraged by the experts' presentation regarding flooding on the east side of town, Ward II. And we have a lot of flooding, and I have a development in my Ward, every time it rains, I know my blood pressure goes up as well as those residents. This is setting a good amount, a pocket of money, aside to address 14